LAVE-VAISSELLE DOUBLE

DOUBLE DISHWASHER

Abrégé français

L'invention porte sur une armoire (12) de lave-vaisselle présentant une paroi frontale, une paroi dorsale et deux parois (16, 18) latérales opposées, ainsi qu'une cloison intermédiaire la partageant en un premier (24) compartiment et un deuxième (26). La paroi frontale présente une première ouverture et une deuxième ouverture donnant respectivement accès au premier compartiment et au deuxième (24, 26). Une première porte et une deuxième (30, 48) correspondant à la première et à la deuxième ouverture sont mobiles entre une première et une deuxième position.

Abrégé anglais

A dishwasher cabinet (12) has a front
wall, a rear wall, and opposite sidewalls (16,
18). The cabinet has an intermediate wall for
forming the cabinet into a first compartment (24)
and a second compartment (26). The front wall
has a first opening and a second opening
providing access into the first and second
compartments (24, 26) respectively. First and second
doors (30, 48) are in covering relation over the
first and second openings and are movable
between open and closed positions.

Revendications

CLAIMS
What is claimed is:
1. A dishwasher comprising a dishwasher cabinet having a top wall, side
walls, a bottom wall, and an intermediate wall dividing said cabinet into
an upper washing compartment with an upper front opening and a lower
washing compartment with a lower front opening; an upper rack within
said upper compartment for supporting objects to be washed; a lower
rack mounted within said lower compartment for supporting objects to
be washed; an upper mechanism within said upper washing
compartment for spraying washing fluid on said objects within said
upper washing compartment; a lower washing mechanism within said
lower washing compartment for spraying washing fluid on said objects
within said lower washing compartment; characterized by:
a drawer mounted within said upper compartment having an upper door
at its front, side walls, a bottom wall, and a rear wall;
drawer mounting mechanism mounting said drawer within said upper
washing compartment for movement from a drawer closed position with
said drawer front wall in covering relation over said upper front opening
to a drawer open position providing access into said drawer from outside
said cabinet;
said upper rack being within said drawer and movable with said drawer
from said closed to said open position;
said upper spray mechanism being completely above said bottom wall of
said drawer; and
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a lower door movable from a closed position in covering relation over
only said lower washing compartment to an open position permitting
access to said lower washing compartment from outside said cabinet.
2. The dishwasher according to Claim 1 wherein said lower door is hinged
for hinged movement between said closed and said open positions.
3. The dishwasher according to Claim 1 wherein said upper washing
compartment and said upper door are smaller than said lower washing
compartment and said lower door respectively.
4. The dishwasher according to Claim 1 wherein said upper spray
mechanism is at least partially within said drawer and movable with said
drawer between said open and said closed positions.
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Description

02-10-2000 ~ 02344571 2001-03-19 US 009921127
1~CT/US99/21127
DOL~9T~F DIS~IW
BAC,'.KC3ROL1ND OF THE INV~~T'ION
The present invention relates to a double
dishwasher.
Conventional dishwashers include a single
compartment for washing dishes. However, such a
single compartment construction ie inefEiciant when
only a few items are needed to be washed.
1C~ Additionally, dirty items cannot be placed in the
single compartment dishwasher while the dishwasher
is running or until after the clean items have been
removed.
European Publication 0 585 9~b A2 discloses a
Z5 dishwasher having an upper and lower compartment
separated by an inclined partition. Washing fluid
drains from the upper comFar'Cment to the 7.ower
compartment. The upper compartment has r_o drawex
and the spray wash arm is attached to the partition
20 which forms the bottom wall of the upper
compartment. A single door forms the clo$ure for
both the upper and lower compartments and it ie not
possible to open only one compartment at a time. It
does not ouggest how a drawer can be placed in the
25 upper compartment ~oith a rack thereir_ ~znd with a
spray mechanism completely above the floor of the
drawer.
French Patent Publication 2 640 487 discloses a
single washing compartment having a partition
30 partially ~~eparating an upper and a lower chamber.
the partition has a front edge recessed from a
single front door so that washing fluid can
camrnunicatN between the upper and lower chambers.
Washing racks are in the upper and lower chambers
35 and can be removed through the single front opening
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02-10-2000 ~ 02344571 2001-03-19 US 009921127
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of the single washing compartment. There is no
suggestion ~~f a drawer in the upper chamber with a
spray mechanism completely above the floor of the
drawer and with a rack mounted within the drawer.
French Patent 1.50b.537 discloses a single
waahing compartment having two hinged doors, one for
the upper half of the single washing compartment,
and one for the lower half. A.z upper rack and a
lower rack are within the single washing compartment
x0 and may be moved outwardly when the respective doors
are open. The single washing compartment is
completely open between the upper and lower racks.
There is no suggestion of a drawer in an upper
chamber with a spray mechanism completely above the
floor o~ the drawer and with a rack contained within
the drawer.
U.S. Patent 4,179,307 shows a single washing
compartment having an upper rack and a lower rack
within that compartment. An upper door and a lower
door are attacred to the upper and lower racks
respectively and move with the racks as they slide
outwardly. All spraying mechanisms are located
below the rocks. The single compartment is
completely open so that both the upper rack and Che
lower rack are in commsnication with one another.
There is no suggestion of a drawer in an upper
charsber with a spray mechanism completely above the
floor of the drawer and with a rack contained within
the drawer.
Therefore a primary object of the present
invention is the provision of an improved double
dishwasher.
A further abject of the present invention is
the provis~.on of a double dishwasher having one
1A
AMENDED SHEET
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CA 02344571 2003-09-08
compartment smaller than the other for washing smaller batches of items to be
washed.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a double
dishwasher which permits items to be placed in one washing compartment
while clean items are being washed or have not yet been removed from the
other compartments.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a double
dishwasher which is efficient in operation and durable in manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing objects may be achieved by a dishwasher having a dishwasher
cabinet with a front
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wall, a rear wall, and opposite side-walls. The
cabinet has an intermediate wall forming the cabinet
into a first compartment and a second compartment. The
front wall has a first opening and a second opening
therein providing access to the first and second
compartments respectively. A first door is fitted in
covering relation over the first opening and is movable
from a closed position in covering relation over the
first opening to an open position providing access to
the first compartment. A second door is in covering
relation over the second opening and is movable from a
closed position in covering relation over the second
opening to an open position providing access to the
second compartment.
While the relative sizes of the compartments may
vary, it is preferable that one compartment be smaller
than the other so as to accommodate different sizes of
batches of items to be washed.
While the types of doors over the two compartments
may vary without detracting from the invention, it is
preferable that the one of the compartments have a
drawer mounted therein for sliding movement. The lower
compartment is preferably a hinged door.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the double
dishwasher of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the upper
drawer partially removed from the upper washing
compartment.
Figure 3 is a front elevational view showing the
hinged door in its opened position providing access to
the lower washing compartment.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings a dishwasher 10 includes
a cabinet 12 having a top wall 14, sidewalls 16, 18,
and a bottom wall 20. An intermediate wall 22 divides
the cabinet into an upper washing compartment 24, and a
lower washing compartment 26. While the two
compartments are shown in upper and lower relation to
one another it is also possible to orient them
differently, for example side by side.
Mounted within the upper compartment 24 is a
drawer 28 having an upper door 30 at its front. Upper
door 30 includes a top edge 31, side edges 32, 33, and
a bottom edge 34. Drawer 28 also includes sidewalls
35, 36, a bottom wall 37, and a rear wall (not shown).
Upper door 30 provides the front wall for the drawer
28. Within the drawer 38 is a rack 38 for supporting
dishes or other items to be washed. The structure of
the rack may vary without detracting from the
invention, but such racks usually contain tines 40
which help support the items to be washed.
The particular dishwashing apparatus within drawer
28 may vary according to any number of conventional
washing devices. Rotating arms, sprayers, and other
types of dishwasher actions may be provided in the
drawer 28. Figure 2 shows a pair of tubes 62, having
spray perforation 64 therein for spraying cleaning
fluid on the items to be washed. Tubes 62 are adapted
to rotate about their longitudinal axis and are
connected to a source of pressurized fluid (not shown).
Drawer 28 also includes a side track 42 having a
roller 44 mounted therein so that the drawer can be
rolled from its closed position shown in Figures 1 and
3, to its opened position shown in Figure 2. A control
panel 46 is provided adjacent the upper edge 31 of door
30. Also a handle 47 (Figure 3) is provided for
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permitting grasping of the door 30 to roll it between
its closed and open positions.
A lower door 48 includes a top edge 50, side edges
52, 53, and a bottom edge 54. Door 48 is hinged
adjacent its bottom edge 54 for hinged movement from
the pos=a.:~ion shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in
Figure 3.
As can be seen in Figure 3, the lower compartment
26 icludes a rack 56 mounted therein for supporting
items to be washed. Rack 56 is suspended for rolling
movement by rollers 58 so that it may be rolled
inwardly and outwardly from the washing compartment 26
in a conventional manner. Door 48 includes a handle 60
(Figure 1) for permitting the grasping of the door to
move it from its closed to its open positions.
Conventional upper and lower washing arms 66, 68,
as well as a central spray tower 70, are shown for
spraying the items within the lower compartment 26.
There are many types of washing apparatus well known in
the art which could be used in both the upper
compartment and the lower compartment.
In use, items to be washed are placed in the lower
compartment. and while those dishes are being washed,
additional dirty dishes or items can be placed in the
upper compartment. Also, because the upper compartment
is of a smaller size, smaller batches of items to be
washed can be placed in the upper compartment, thereby
adding to the efficiency of the washing machine and
minimizing the amount of water and energy needed to
wash a small batch of dishes.
In the drawings and specification there has been
set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and
although specific terms are employed, these are used in
a generic and descriptive sense only and not for
purposes of limitation. Changes in the form and the
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proportion of parts as well as in the substitution of
equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may
suggest or render expedient without departing from the
spirit or scope of the invention as further defined in
the following claims.
~~'.>
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Dessin représentatif